M&S to shut store doors permanently in ‘hammer blow’ to high street
MARKS and Spencer set to shut another store for good following a string of closures.
It comes after the retailer revealed that it will permanently shut ten of its stores and relocate to new sites this year.
And now another location is set to bring the shutters down permanently.
The M&S store in The Brunel Shopping Centre in Swindon has been marked for closure The Sun can reveal, although a date is yet to be confirmed.
An M&S spokesperson said: "As part of this transformation, we have today announced to colleagues our proposal to close our M&S Swindon store at 81 Regent Street.
“We appreciate that this will be disappointing news for some.
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"Our priority now is to talk to our colleagues about what this announcement means for them and wherever possible, offer them alternative roles with M&S."
Jim Robbin, the council leader, told that M&S' proposal was a "hammer blow" to the high street.
A proposed closure means the closure is yet to be finalised.
It comes as the high street giant closed its Simply Food store in Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester and announced that its site in Weymouth, Dorset, will also shut for good.
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A date has not yet been given for the latter.
The closures are part of 67 expected over the next five years.
The high-street brand is looking to shut some of its ";lower productivity, full-line stores" to cut costs.
But it isn't all bad news, as the retailer is opening a number of new stores that will all contain clothing, homeware, cafes and food halls.
For example, shoppers disappointed about the loss of the store in Manchester city centre will be getting a brand new store in the Trafford Centre the winter.
While M&S previously announced that the Eagles Meadow Foodhall in Wrexham will close in the Autumn and be relocated to Plas Coch Retail Park.
Plus, a new store in the Liverpool One shopping centre opened this week.
New flagship M&S stores have popped up in several major UK cities this year, with more openings to come. You can see the full list below:
- Purley Way - opened in April
- Leeds White Rose - opened in May
- Stockport - opened in June
- Liverpool ONE - opened on August 15
- Birmingham Bullring - Autumn 2023
- Barnsley - expected Autumn 2023
- Earlsfield - autumn 2023
- Lakeside Thurrock - Winter 2023
- Manchester Trafford Centre - Winter 2023
- Largs - expected Winter 2023
The full list of M&S closures that have taken place so far this year can be seen below:
- East Kilbride - closed in February
- Fenchurch Street, London - March
- Meadowbank Retail Park in Edinburgh - April
- Castleford - April
- Bolton - April
- Cardiff - April
- Manchester - August
The retailer plans to operate 180 full-line and 400 food halls in the next five years.
The new openings will bring investment in new stores to £480million, M&S said in May.
It will also be investing in its digital offering, with the rollout of click-and-collect to 130 stores across the UK.
Other store closures
Soaring inflation has left shoppers strapped for cash, and retailers are struggling to get customers to part with their hard-earned money.
High energy costs and a shift to online shopping are also taking a toll and many brands just haven't been able to keep going.
Wilko collapsed into administration last week after failing to find new backing for the business.
It puts the chain's 400 stores at risk of closing and around 12,500 jobs on the line.
The Sun previously reported that several potential buyers have shown an interest in Wilko's business, and one could save as many as 300 branches from closing down and would preserve the most jobs.
Meanwhile, Boots is set to close 300 shops across the country over the next year.
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While Boots hasn't confirmed the exact locations of all, those which are set to shut are said to be shops which are close to another site.
If you want to know how your local high street is affected, you can check out our handy guide to all the shops closing down in August.
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